Big Ben has done his time
FORT WORTH – I guess we in the working media owe Sports Illustrated writer Peter King some sort of thank you. Maybe a thanks for nothing would be more appropriate. King posted a story on his Monday Morning Quarterback blog that basically said Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was not a nice guy and was not a well-liked teammate in his locker room. King’s piece quoted NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell as saying that Goodell had interviewed as many as 20 of Roethlisberger’s teammates when he began investigating the quarterback’s misdeeds in a Georgia college bar back in February. Goodell said he didn’t find a player who would vouch for Roethlisberger’s character.
So, I guess we should thank King for opening Super Bowl week with a sexy story, or at least a story about sex. On the other hand, it’s a story that has outlived its own life. Roethlisberger has done everything Goodell and the league has asked him to do. He has done more, much more, than simply go by the commissioner’s guidelines.
The story blindsided Roethlisberger. He didn’t see it coming and was forced to research it after his media session ended Monday. Certainly, none of us in the media owe anything to Roethlisberger, but I think the guy got a raw deal on this one.
If this was such a hot story, why didn’t it come out before now. King gave no indication when Goodell made his comments. If he was sitting on the story, he ran a tremendous risk of having it blow up in his face. If the Jets had beaten the Steelers last week or Baltimore had done it a week earlier, the story would’ve been buried.
Whether it’s even a worthy story at this point is debatable. Roethlisberger admittedly is working to rehabilitate his reputation as a person, teammate and man. He would tell you face to face that he is a better person now than he had been the last several years.
Coach Mike Tomlin and five of Roethlisberger’s teammates stood before microphones upon arrival at their Super Bowl headquarters and all were asked about King’s story. Defensive end Brett Keisel spoke only for himself, but seemed to sum up best what the Steelers think of their quarterback.
“Ben and I have a very good relationship. We’re close friends, on and off the field,” Keisel said. “Everyone was behind him. Everyone just didn’t know how to respond to all of the questions and all of the scrutiny. Obviously, he’s done a phenomenal job. He’s turned a negative into a positive.
“He’s playing for his third Super Bowl and that’s great.”
And that’s also what this week is supposed to be about. Controversy likely will present itself in some form or other as the week progresses. Don’t be sucked into believing a months-old story can carry this week.
Even though Roethlisberger wasn’t charged with a crime, he did his time in the form of a four-game suspension. Whether he’s truly reformed or not is another matter for another day. He’s preparing for a football game this week and should be allowed to focus on that.
Sports editor Mike Ciarochi may be reached at mciarochi@heraldstandard.com.